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Get To Know The Families Behind Some Of 2013s Most Amazing Sleep Success Stories!

Over the past few weeks, we have shone a spotlight on a few of our very own Baby Sleep Site families. These are families just like yours – families who spent months struggling with sleepless babies and toddlers. They are families who approached The Baby Sleep Site for personalized baby sleep help, and who worked one-on-one with our team of consultants. And now, they are families that are sleeping peacefully!

Meet Ilana Collison, and Hear Her Story

Readers, meet Ilana Collison. Ilana lives in North Dakota, but when she originally came to us for help, she had just moved to the U.S., from the U.K. And as if an international move weren’t stressful enough – she did it with a baby who just refused to sleep!

Once Ilana and her family were settled in the States, she contacted us for help with her son Tyler’s sleep. Here’s her story…

The Baby Sleep Site: Ilana, tell us a little bit about Tyler’s sleep history.

Ilana: Tyler was one of those babies who just resisted sleep. It was a bit of a joke amongst some of my mummy friends, how Tyler was such a poor sleeper. I often heard, “And I thought mine was bad! I can’t believe he’s been up all day and won’t sleep”. Yep, believe it! And he wouldn’t sleep at night time either. When he did, he woke up multiple times.

Now, before Tyler was born, I had accepted that my own hours of sleep were going to be few and far between. I knew that having a newborn, and then moving to a new country when he was just 3 months old, was going to be challenging. I just wasn’t prepared for the toll that it really took.

The Baby Sleep Site: That’s understandable – there’s probably no good way to adequately prepare for something like that! So once you were settled in the U.S., what happened?

Ilana: Once we got settled into our new house, Tyler was 6 months old, and we were ready to have him sleep in his crib, in his own room. Apparently, however, he wasn’t! At that point, I began scouring the internet for information.

At first, I didn’t find anything helpful. Yes, I had a bedtime routine. Yes, we were consistent, but things were just getting worse and worse, and I really felt like Tyler was suffering. I believe that sleep is so important for a baby’s development, and Tyler wasn’t getting anywhere near what he needed. He was grumpy, and his happy mood started to change for the worse.

I can’t convey how bad things had become, surviving on so little sleep for such a long time. And Tyler himself had become so challenging. I loved my son, but things were dismal. My relationship with my husband had become strained, too. One day, I just cried, and cried, and cried. It just all got to be too much.

The Baby Sleep Site: Oh, Ilana – that must’ve been so hard. We know lots of parents who’ve been in that same position – all the exhaustion and sleep deprivation catches up to them, and they finally break down. What did you do then?

Ilana:At that point, I had already come across The Baby Sleep Site. So, I waited for my husband to get home from work, and then I literally begged him to sign us up for a Baby Sleep Site consultation package. I was of course skeptical to be parting with money for advice online, but with SO many positive testimonials, I figured it surely had to work. Not only that, but I sensed a real empathy and compassion from reading Nicole’s weekly newsletter, and I just felt that this was going to work for us. And I knew that I had it in me to stick to a schedule. I just needed some pointers and support.

The Baby Sleep Site: So after you purchased your package – what happened then?

Ilana: I wrote up our family history, for Amber (my sleep consultant) to use. Even just writing out the sleep history helped me feel better – it’s like I was emptying my mind of all the issues and putting them into e-mail form. From that moment, I started to feel like there was hope. And then there was – an e-mail from Amber, with our family’s Personalized Sleep Plan™ attached! It was like a ray of light!

The Baby Sleep Site: And what did you think, reading through the plan?

Ilana: The sleep schedule was detailed, and it provided insight and options, as well as room for tweaking to suit our needs as well as Tyler’s. Amber even preempted what Tyler may do in response to the plan. That surprised me – I knew what he would do, but how did she? How could someone who had never met my son know him so well? I honestly couldn’t read the Personalized Sleep Plan™ fast enough! Not only was it informative and clear, but it was positive and encouraging – all the things I knew I needed to get started.

The Baby Sleep Site: Okay, Illana, this is the all-important question: once you started implementing the plan, did it work?

Ilana: Tyler responded to the new routine really well! Within about 4 days of putting the plan into action at home, we saw a significant change. My baby was actually taking naps during the day and sleeping better at night! No, it wasn’t perfect right away. But he did pick up his new routine so quickly.

Soon after that, Tyler slept through the night for the first time. I remember lying awake at 4 a.m., wondering if he was okay, and if the baby monitor was working! But of course, nothing was wrong; he was just fast asleep, and enjoying his crib! Now, Tyler doesn’t sleep through the night perfectly every night, but in the main, he does. And now, if he does wake up, we know exactly what to do, and so does he! Now that Tyler is finally getting the sleep he needs, my husband and I are, too. Now, everything about our family is different, and I am starting to feel like my old self.

I should say that I don’t for a minute think our help here is done! We just weren’t blessed that way, with an ‘easy’ baby. This is merely ‘au revoir’ for now, as we shall no doubt be in contact with you again soon (but hopefully not too soon!)

The Baby Sleep Site: We’ll keep an eye out for your e-mail, Ilana! 😉 Before we wrap things up – any final words you want to offer our readers?

Ilana: I have no reservations about recommending this service – in fact, I’ve done so a number of times already! To Amber and the entire Baby Sleep Site team: thank you for a most wonderful service. Your patience, humour, and quality advice have been second to none and are worth every penny!

You heard Ilana’s story – now, we want to hear yours! Tell us your sleep training story in the comments section below!

Meet Ali Koch, and Hear Her Story

Readers, meet Allison Koch. Ali lives in Pennsylvania and is mom to little Noelle. Noelle was a great sleeper – that is, until the 4 month sleep regression hit! That’s when Ali contacted The Baby Sleep Site® for help. Here’s her story…

Ali: My daughter was sleeping through the night by the time she was 3 months old, and she slept great from 3-4 months. Right around 4.5 months, however, she started waking up in the middle of the night again, and so I nursed her back to sleep.

From then on, she was waking up at least 2, 3, or 4 times a night, and would remain awake for an hour and a half to two hours at a time! My husband and I took turns some nights, and we were extremely frustrated! I felt like I was going through the newborn stage all over again.

The Baby Sleep Site: Wow, you must’ve been exhausted! So how did you come across The Baby Sleep Site, and at what point did you decide to get personalized help?

Ali: I came to across the Baby Sleep Site in a Google search – I was searching for baby schedules and sleeping habits. I had already read MANY different books and theories about how to help my baby sleep better, so I decided to look into the site.

At first, I questioned the things I read on the site, and whether or not they actually worked. I was also skeptical about paying money to have someone help me after I felt like I had already tried everything on my own.

Finally, when my daughter was 9 months old, I sent a general email inquiring about which services would be best for our family. I was still EXTREMELY skeptical, and I really didn’t think they would offer me any advice that I hadn’t already tried or read about. But after about another three weeks of trying other methods, I finally gave in, paid the money, and begged for help!

The Baby Sleep Site: No problem; we’ve worked with skeptics before! 😉 So tell us – what happened after you bought your consultation package?

Ali: I got my Personalized Sleep Plan™ from Nicole very quickly – and it was awesome! The plan was extremely thorough and very helpful.

The Baby Sleep Site: And once you started implementing the sleep plan at home, what happened? How did things go?

Ali: I’ll admit, the first week was difficult. My daughter was not as consistent as I’d hoped she’d be. But through many e-mails back and forth with Nicole, we continued to tweak the plan so that it suited my daughter. And I’m happy to say that, after the first week, she was only waking once or twice a night, and falling back to sleep VERY easily – within ten minutes!

The Baby Sleep Site: Awesome! Glad to hear you stuck with it and made the necessary changes to your plan. How did Noelle’s progress continue after that first week, and how is she sleeping now?

Ali: Two or three weeks into using the plan, she was starting to sleep much more consistently. Within a month, she was going to bed each night at around 7 p.m. and sleeping until 7 a.m., with two good naps during the day. She would still occasionally wake up between 4 or 5 a.m., but honestly, she progressed by leaps and bounds during the time, thanks to Nicole’s help!

Noelle is now 20 months, and she’s still sleeping so much better than she used to. She now takes one nap in the afternoon, and usually sleeps 11 hours, straight through the night. Every once in awhile, if she is sick or teething, she’ll wake up, but it’s okay, because she’s able to fall back to sleep on her own.

The Baby Sleep Site: That’s some impressive progress – from waking 4 times a night, for one or two hours at a time, down to no night wakings — and in just a few weeks! We’re so happy for you and your family, Ali. 🙂 Any final words for our readers?

Ali: We are so blessed and happy we came across this site, and that we went with this service! I highly recommend it!!

You heard Ali’s story – now, we want to hear yours! Tell us your sleep training story in the comments section below!

Meet Julie Phillips, and Hear Her Story

Readers, it’s my pleasure to introduce you to Julie Phillips. A mom of two little girls, Julie lives in Maryland. She came to us for help when her second daughter was just a few months old. Here’s Julie’s story…

The Baby Sleep Site: So, Julie, tell us a bit about your family’s sleep history.

Julie: I had many sleep struggles with my older daughter. In fact, when my older daughter was a baby, I had even hired a local sleep consultant to help with her sleep problems. It didn’t go well – the consultant’s approach was too harsh, and it went against my instincts as a parent.

I didn’t want to repeat any of that with my younger daughter. However, I did want to get my baby off on the right foot, and help her know how to self-soothe at a young age.

The Baby Sleep Site: That’s understandable! So, is that why you reached out to The Baby Sleep Site for help?

Julie:Yes. I initially discovered this site while looking at sleep articles online. I began getting the free newsletters and reading through the articles on the site. At that time, my second daughter was only 3 months old and was not a particularly difficult sleeper. But again, I really wanted to start her off on the right foot, after my experiences with my older daughter.

I wanted to sleep train, but I wanted to do something gentle that fit with my parenting style and with my baby’s temperament (which I now know is the key to implementing a successful sleep strategy!) And so, when my daughter was 4 months old, I decided to do a consultation with Nicole’s team of sleep consultants.

The Baby Sleep Site: And we’re so glad you did! 🙂 Tell us – what were your first impressions of the consultation process?

Julie: Well, to begin with, I was surprised at how quickly I received my plan. I submitted my daughter’s sleep history, and within just a few days, I received a really detailed, 20-page plan from Amy (my sleep consultant) for nights and naps.

At first, as I looked through the plan, I felt nervous to start. My baby had been co-sleeping, she needed to be swaddled in order to sleep, and she had to have a pacifier every night. I just wasn’t sure how we were going to wean her away from all of that!

But I did start – and I followed the plan to the letter, asking Amy for clarification along the way. I received lots of helpful e-mails from her in response (many of which she wrote at no additional charge to me – thanks, Amy!)

The Baby Sleep Site: Good for you! And now that you’ve had some time to use that plan, and to reflect, tell us – did it work?

Julie: I’m happy to say that just a few nights after we started implementing our Personalized Sleep Plan™ (nights with VERY minimal crying, I might add!), my little girl learned how to sleep all night in her crib, unswaddled, without a pacifier, and only needing to wake once or twice during the night for feedings! It was amazing!!

Amy was there every step of the way, of course, to support me through the process. She was so supportive and encouraging as we worked together – she never made me feel like I was bothering her with my questions.

Honestly, the Personalized Sleep Plan™ has been nothing short of a miracle. It gave me the details I needed to be successful in sleep training, as well as the confidence I needed to actually carry it through and stay consistent. It was worth ever penny I spent on it — and truly, it’s a FRACTION of the cost of most other sleep consultants!

The Baby Sleep Site: Woohoo! We love stories like yours, Julie. So, now that your consultation is done, and that your little girls are sleeping well, tell us – how would you summarize your experience with The Baby Sleep Site?

Julie: The individualized attention, support, warmth, and understanding that I received during my consultation with The Baby Sleep Site was truly amazing. I cannot say enough good things about Nicole, her team, and her site. The access to all the free resources, as well as the affordable sleep packages, are truly a gift. I feel lucky to have found this site, because after just one short week of work, my whole family is now happy and rested! And there was so little crying involved – it was truly worth it. I have already recommended this site to several of my friends – and I’ll continue to do so!

Julie: The bottom line is this: Nicole’s team will do whatever it takes, and whatever you need, to ensure you get your child (or children) the rest they need. They gave me my sanity and my life back – and they can do it for you!

You heard Julie’s story – now, we want to hear yours! Tell us your sleep training story in the comments section below!

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Comments

Emily DeJeusays

@ italkenya — okay, I see – thanks for providing this info! Yes, I would definitely get his sleep apnea checked out. Your HCP will know best, of course, but that may be something that you can take steps to correct.

And thanks for the info about how you and your husband balance shift work! So it sounds like there’s the option to have a more consistent daily schedule for your son — but the problem is that he fights it. That’s fine – lots of spirited little boys do!

Yes, I do believe we could help you with this. We’ve helped families in all kinds of living situations around the world, so this wouldn’t be the first time we’ve worked with a family who had rotating shift schedules.

Hope this helps! Do let us know if you move forward with a consultation plan – we’ll want to know how it’s working for you! 😉

@ readysetgo — what kind feedback! Thanks! 🙂 So glad to hear that your plan worked well, and that it’s given you the confidence you need to meet these kinds of regressions and setbacks with confidence. You make a really good point here, and it’s one that I think is worth repeating — sleep training tends to be circular, in some ways. You get your little one sleeping through the night and taking long naps, but then a setback comes, and you circle right back to old (and unwanted!) sleeping habits. So you work on sleep again, and make progress, but then another setback comes, and the cycle repeats. I think lots of parents don’t realize that this is normal for babies and toddlers – so thanks for the reminder!

I purchased and implemented my sleep plan with success about 5 weeks ago. My then 5 month old daughter was up every 2 hours, my husband and I were losing our minds. She learned to fall asleep on her own and most of the time slept about 10 hours then gently put back to sleep and slept another hour or so. To be honest, this has been a roller coaster – sleep training is worth it, but it is not easy. She was sleeping great for a while, then had some regression, then fine again – but we were just on the west coast and she came home with a cold, so sleeping is kind of a nightmare again!
We are making sure she is comfortable at the expense of bad sleeping habits — I just hope we can get back on track as soon as she is better. At least this time I am confident, I know what to do and I know she can do it!
Thank you Baby Sleep Site 🙂

Hello again and thanks for your comments!
I have mentioned the sleep apnoea to several health professionals when he was younger and they all said that it was normal and nothing to worry about… But I do worry and that s one of the reasons we are still cosleeping (his cot is attached to my bed and he sleeps there most of the time, although he does try his best to come onto the big bed…).
I am planning to speak to our doctor again after the holidays. Maybe now that he s a little older and still has the same problem they ll take it seriously.
As for the shifts. My husband (whom also does shift work) normally looks after our boy when i do the late and night shifts, but find it quite hard to stick to the routine, because the little one is very spirited and persistent, so he ll just keep himself awake till about 10/11pm… Therfore by the time those two weeks are over I pretty much have to start from scratch…
Do you believe you guys could help? And if so which package should I choose?
Thanks again!

Thanks for commenting, Debbie! And hang in there. Maybe Santa will put the gift of a full night’s sleep under your tree this Christmas! 😉

@italkenya — This sounds rough! First, let me say — have you had the apnea checked out by a doctor? That’s something you may want to do. Sleep apnea is a medical concern, but fortunately, it’s treatable. So maybe take your little guy to a healthcare provider and discuss that.

As for helping your son sleep better – sounds like your shift work makes things tough. That’s understandable. Let me ask — while your shift work no doubt disturbs your schedule, how does it affect your son’s? Do you have childcare help for nights when you’re gone? What would be ideal is if, by utilizing childcare help, you were able to keep your son’s days and nights pretty consistent and normal. Is that something you already do, or that’s an option for you?

@ zoe — from what you say here, it sounds like you’re making progress! You’re down from waking every hour to waking just 2 or 3 times per night, and it sounds like the crying isn’t excessive. From where I’m sitting, this sounds like it’s working, but of course, you’re the better judge of that. Do you think your little girl has made progress? If so, then don’t be quick to give up. It may just be that you have a persistent little girl on your hands – sometimes, spirited and persistent babies take a bit longer to sleep coach than more laid-back, easygoing babies.

My 6 month old baby used to wake up every hour and I have to nurse her back to sleep. I am exhausted and I started ferber method sleep training. Today is the 12th day, she still cry before fell asleep, sometimes less than 5 minutes and she wakes up 2 to 3 times now in the night. But most of the time she still cry before she fell asleep.sometimes more than 10min. Is that normal? Should I continue the training ?

hello! I have a 18months old whom has never slept through.
I cosleep and still nurse. He wakes up every couple of hrs asking for booby… He also sleepwalks (seats up in bed then launches himself in whichever direction…) and i believe also has a mild form of sleep apnoea as he often holds his breath for a few seconds and at times i have to nadge him to get him to breath again… 🙁
he s now also teething and going through the 18 month sleep regression… And since i haven t had a good night sleep since early pregnancy, my brain is always in a muddle…
I have read lots of books articles, but as i work shifts is nearly impossible to stick to a routine for more than a couple of weeks… I thought about purchasing a personalised plan, but don t know which one to go for… Money is also tight at the moment…

I have a almost 4 yr old toddler who doesnt sleep through and I end up sleeping next to every night. She sometimes stays awake for 2-3hrs before she falls back asleep. She very rarely sleeps through. Im lucky to get 3 hrs straight sleep of a night then the rest is broken sleep, been like this for almost a year. I also have a almost 3 yr old and a 6 month old.
My 3yr old also wakes and I believe its night terrors and this has beengoing on since april when she turned 2. Bubba is starting to sleep through but also has her nights and so happens to have them when the other two are sleeping well!!

@ sissy — to answer your question, yes, I’d say wait ’til the holidays are over, and your life is back to normal, before starting in on your plan. Sleep training usually goes best when things are consistent at home — that means no travel, no big schedule disruptions, etc. Obviously, you don’t have total control over that, but as much as you’re able, plan to implement your sleep plan when you know you’ll have about two weeks of normal life. Does that make sense?

So excited for you!! Be sure to keep us posted on your progress as you work through the plan. I know a lot of other moms would love to see those kinds of updates!